Official reserves reach five-month-high $ 6.9 b in August

Monday, 14 September 2026 02:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Short-term reserve drain over next 12 months estimated at nearly $ 6 b

Sri Lanka’s official reserve assets rose to $ 6.9 billion as of end-August 2026, up 4.6% from $ 6.6 billion a month earlier, according to Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) data released on Friday.

This is a five-month high and the third-highest reserves position recorded this year, after $ 7.3 billion in February and $ 7 billion in March, respectively.

Foreign currency reserves increased 5% to $ 6.69 billion, while gold reserves rose 9.4% to $ 210 million.

The CBSL said the short-term drain on reserves over the next 12 months amounts to nearly $ 6 billion. Of this, principal and interest payments on foreign currency loans, securities, and deposits amount to $ 2.2 billion.

The aggregate short and long positions in forwards and futures in foreign currencies vis-à-vis the domestic currency, including the forward leg of currency swaps, stood at $ 3.72 billion.

The CBSL has stepped up buying foreign currency from the domestic market to rebuild reserves, purchasing a record $ 579 million in August, the highest since January 2025, above prior highs of $ 461 million in February 2026 and $ 356 million in August 2025. Net purchases for the first eight months of 2026 topped $ 1.48 billion, against $ 2 billion for all of 2025.